


Cheetah's Prey

by SeleneMoon



Category: DC Comics, DCU
Genre: Aquaman kinda does want to be friends, Based on Headcanon, Best Friends, Best Friends to Enemies, Betrayal, Cheetah needed a better backstory, Kidnapping, Other, Other DC Characters mentioned - Freeform, Teammates who don't get along, Wonder Woman doesn't want to be friends, read the author's note
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-20
Updated: 2015-10-20
Packaged: 2018-04-27 08:30:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5041267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeleneMoon/pseuds/SeleneMoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wonder Woman does not like Aquaman. So, of course, he's the one that she's on WatchTower duty with when they receive a distress call. It doesn't help that the distress call is originating in the desert. Or that it's one of Wonder Woman's old friends... A friend who feels betrayed. </p><p>Read notes at the beginning.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cheetah's Prey

**Author's Note:**

> Going in I wanted to say something. This is set in my friend's head canon. Mera was an Amazon (and one of Wonder Woman's best friends) who had to marry the king of Atlantis (Arthur) to avoid war between Atlantis and Paradise Island. No one was happy about it (Arthur didn't have a lot of say because he was more of a puppet king, but he does actually like Mera). Wonder Woman liked Arthur/Aquaman until she realized that not only was he an Atlantean, but also the person who her best friend was more or less forced to marry.
> 
> So things between Wonder Woman and Aquaman are tense.

Wonder Woman shifted slightly, so that her back was to Arthur. The youthful king sighed.

“You know you’re being ridiculous, right?” He addressed the Amazonian princess. Diana pointedly ignored him. This was just what Arthur needed, WatchTower duty with a woman who couldn’t stand him, or his people. A thought occurred to him. Arthur pulled up a clip on the massive monitor and played it.

“What a battle!” Wonder Woman on the screen exclaimed. She clasped Arthur on the shoulder. “You are quite the warrior-” A crash cut the clip of their first encounter short.

“You’re going to get extra WatchTower duty for that…” Arthur muttered, slumping in his seat. She’d probably blame him for it too.

Diana stood up and walked out. “Hey!” Arthur protested as the door automatically closed behind her.

Great, now what? Arthur slumped back into his seat, vaguely depressed.

 

Wonder Woman walked into her room and picked up a stone. She dropped it into a pool of water in the corner of the room. The ripples spread like the rings of a phone. A smooth sheet of water began falling into the pool, like a continuous waterfall.

A woman’s face appeared, more clear than a videophone. “Well met, sister.” Mera warmly greeted her best friend.

“I still cannot believe you created this.” Diana smiled. “You are becoming quite proficient at Atlantean magic.”

“It is as much Amazonian as Atlantean.” Mera automatically reminded her friend.

“Of course.” Diana said obligingly.

“How is WatchTower duty with my… husband?” Mera asked haltingly.

Diana frowned. “I rather feel like I keep kicking a puppy.” She admitted. “No matter what I do, the boy keeps coming back with big hopeful eyes and overtures of comradery.”

“It gets easier.” Mera advised her. “Just keep doing what you’re doing.”

“I suppose so.” Diana said, unconvinced. “It is more annoying than anything else. I know he is capable of great strength, and he just keeps acting like a meek pet who is eager to please. Not much of an opponent.” Diana shifted on her bed. “I was investigating more elements of human culture today.” She told Mera, changing the subject.

“Really?” Mera leaned forward, interested.

“Yes, the ‘animated world’,” Diana used the air quotes that Hal had recently taught her. “Has many impressive warriors. It is a pity they are all fictional.”

“Ah, cartoons, correct?” Mera said. “I know about them.”

“It is the strangest thing, also. A purely superficial resemblance, of course, but tell me, Mera, have you ever seen the Little Mermaid?”

 

Arthur jumped when the alarm went off. He hurriedly closed the video of dolphins saving a drowning dog and looked at the alert. He sprinted to Wonder Woman’s room. “Wonder Woman!” He called, and then frowned. Was he sensing Atlantean magic? Why would Atlantean magic be in Wonder Woman’s ro-? 

The door swished open. “I’m ready.” Diana passed him, heading for the transporter room. She paused and looked at Aquaman. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

Aquaman looked down at his empty hands. “Trident. Right.” He turned on his heel and raced down the corridor. “Don’t leave without me!” Arthur called over his shoulder. Diana rolled her eyes and continued her fast stride towards the transportation room. Mera was right. That was easier.

Arthur showed up in the transportation room, apparently just in time. Though Diana had been waiting for three minutes, she acted as if she’d been about to go. Arthur took his place beside her and they beamed to the surface.

 

“Great,” Aquaman said dryly. “A desert.” The wind swept across the dry plain.

“It’s a savannah.” Wonder Woman corrected him.

“Savannahs are deserts.” Aquaman retorted as they walked. “What are we doing here anyway? Gorilla City get attacked?”

“If it did, I would have contacted Flash.” Wonder Woman growled. “Didn’t you look at the alert?”

“I only had time to look at the coordinates.” Aquaman snapped, the dry air making him short tempered. “I thought you’d try and ditch me!”

“It’s a distress signal.” Wonder Woman said. “Specific to the one that Catwoman ‘stole’ off Batman a while ago.” She used the air quotes again. She thought she was getting quite good at them.

They were unaware that they were being watched. A pair of emerald yellow eyes followed them from rocks overlooking the savannah. The mouth opened in delighted surprise, revealing pointed canines.

“We are the worst people for this.” Aquaman muttered.

“So you’re finally coming to your senses.” Wonder Woman triumphantly stated. “Atlanteans and Amazonians can never be comrades!”

“What? No! That’s not what I meant!” Aquaman protested, clearly upset. “I just meant that I don’t do much good in a desert, and you don’t have any way to locate whoever activated the distress signal!”

Wonder Woman frowned. He was wrong, though she didn’t know why she didn’t think of it sooner. Wonder Woman lightly took off and turned hovering in mid air. “I’ll see if I can spot them from a higher vantage point.” She told Aquaman, and started making her way up into the sky.

Almost immediately, Wonder Woman spotted a figure laying prone in a clearing. She dove, not bothering to call out to Aquaman. Wonder Woman landed in a kneel next to the woman who was face down.

“Are you alright?” Wonder Woman glanced briefly at the woman, then around the clearing warily as she reached to check for the woman’s pulse.

Wonder Woman leaped back as the woman moved with a speed almost equal to that of the Flash. Her lasso was in her hands before she even landed in a fighting crouch. The other woman straightened and turned to Wonder Woman, one hand triumphantly on her hip. Wonder Woman’s grip on her lasso slackened as she stared up at the woman. Her clothing hid the fur that covered her body and her hat and hair hid a mutated, but not disfigured, face.

“Barbara?” Wonder Woman asked.

“My dear Diana.” The British lilt in the woman’s voice added a certain amount of professionalism to its warmth. Wonder Woman’s vision began to blur, she looked down at her arm, a single stream of blood ran down it.

“What did you-?” Wonder Woman slurred, returning her wavering gaze to Barbara. Barbara held up a syringe in her other hand.

“Made special for even the toughest skin.” Barbara told the superhero. Wonder Woman’s legs gave way and she almost fell forward, catching herself on one arm. She stared up at Barbara in confusion, rather than anger.

Barbara smiled as she approached the fallen hero. “It is so wonderful to see you again.” She said as Diana lost consciousness.

Barbara pulled Diana’s arm over her shoulder and half carried, half dragged her to a waiting jeep.

 

Arthur grimaced as he watched Wonder Woman swoop down some distance away from him, near a rock formation. He sighed and trudged in the general direction Wonder Woman landed. This sucked. At least when they were actually fighting something Wonder Woman pretty much forgot her dislike of him in the heat of battle. Here, they weren’t doing anything, and he was virtually useless.

Aquaman frowned as he heard a car engine start. Aquaman glanced at the rock formation ahead of him. He ran to it and jumped from rock to rock until he reached the top, panting slightly from the effort and lack of water.

He looked over the savannah and spotted a jeep driving away from the base of the rocks. Aquaman’s jaw dropped as he recognized the unconscious figure in the backseat as Wonder Woman. The sun glinted off her tiara distinctively through the light dust trail drifting up from the savannah grass in the jeep’s wake.

Aquaman lifted his trident and hurtled it, like a javelin, at the jeep. It struck true, hitting the back bed of the jeep and pinning it to the ground. The wheels of the jeep spun uselessly, kicking up dirt and long stalks of grass. Aquaman leapt down from the rocks and raced along the flattened grass and tracks left behind by the jeep. He reached the jeep and jumped on the back; only to be immediately knocked off by a woman using the hilt of his own trident to gain momentum by spinning around it and slamming into his chest feet first.

“Nice try, kid.” The woman said, looking down on him from the back of the jeep. Arthur squinted up at her, only able to make out her silhouette against the sun. Was that a tail?

She turned slightly and, with a grunt of effort wrenched the trident from the ground, then back through the jeep. She tossed it aside. “You’ll need that.” She informed him with a predatory smugness in her voice.

Aquaman stood, his eyes narrowed. He could tell now she was definitely some sort of human animal hybrid. “What do you want with Wonder Woman?” He demanded. Authority had crept into his voice, he spoke like a king. It was enough to make most criminals hesitate. But this woman was not like most criminals.

“I fail to see why you care, Atlantean.” The woman sounded cordial, but Aquaman detected a slight sneer in her tone. “The ocean is about three hundred miles that way.” She jerked her head. “You’d better start walking.” Then she turned, jumped into the driver’s seat and slammed her foot on the gas.

Aquaman coughed on the fumes of the jeep as it pulled away. He glared after it, then turned to the brush and retrieved his trident. Who was that woman? The animosity between Atlantis and Themyscira was not widely known, but she couldn’t be an Amazonian. Not with the amount of effort it took her to get his trident out of her car.

Arthur shook his head. Clearly this was beyond him. It was time to call the rest of the League. Aquaman looked down and his breath caught. “Uh oh.” In his rush, Aquaman had forgotten his transmitter. That meant he couldn’t reach the rest of the League or return to the WatchTower.

Aquaman was trapped. In a desert. Wonder Woman was speeding towards an unknown fate, with an unknown captor, and he was her only back up.

Sh*t.

 

Barbara gently lay Diana on a dentist style examination chair. That brat had severely delayed her, he damaged her car. She was lucky that the jeep had held out. Diana stirred slightly. Barbara unwound the golden lasso.

“Sorry about this, Diana.” Barbara said, securing the other woman to the chair with her own lasso. “But it’s the only thing I know will hold you.” Barbara turned away and began the preliminary scans she would need.

“Doctor…” Diana murmured groggily. Barbara smiled. When Wonder Woman had first arrived in the U.S.A. she’d steadfastly refused to be examined. She did not trust male doctors and was wary of their female colleagues. Until she’d met Dr. Barbara Ann Minerva, a bio engineer at S.T.A.R. Labs who was well versed in everything from neuroscience to complex electronics. Wonder Woman respected her and in time consented to a medical examination.

In return, Barbara taught Diana how to function in her world. She took her to movies and showed her how to laugh at the way men thought, rather than become constantly angry about it. Barbara was a tangible connection to the human world. An actual friend Diana spoke to and understood, despite their cultural differences. Barbara understood more about Diana than any other person outside her home, except maybe Steve Trevor.

Diana’s eyes opened slowly.

“I’m surprised at you, Diana.” Barbara commented as she analyzed the incoming data. “Allowing me to get the jump on you like that. Rather sloppy to fail to anticipate an ambush.” Barbara turned with a carnivorous grin. “Though I suppose I am the only person on the planet who knows what combination of drugs can subdue you, and how to administer them.” Diana’s eyes became alert, and she jerked abruptly.

“Barbara, what is this?” Diana stared down at her bonds and up at her friend. “What’s going on?” Barbara rested her chin in her hand, her elbow on the armrest, waiting for Diana to understand. Diana’s face darkened. “It’s S.T.A.R. Labs, isn’t it.” Diana said. “They’re withholding your treatment unless you give them information on me.”

Barbara let out a short laugh. “Is that really what you came up with?” Barbara demanded, standing up. “That I’m being put up to it? That your betrayal,” She reached for Diana with claws out stretched. “Wasn’t enough to motivate me?” Barbara snarled as she raked her razor sharp claws along the side of Diana’s face. Only small red scratches showed any evidence of the assault that would have permanently maimed or even killed someone else.

“Barbara, what are you talking about?” Diana asked bewildered.

“They thought it was an accident!” Barbara practically shouted, losing her composure fro the first time, seizing Diana by the shoulders. “S.T.A.R. Labs was going to let me continue my work, and be grateful to have me. Until you went and sold me out to Tina McGee!” Diana stared up at Barbara in shock. Barbara became abruptly aware of her position and turned a way.

“You were experimenting on yourself, Barbara.” Diana said. “You were testing serums that had barely been approved for animal trials on your own body.”

“I knew what I was doing.” Barbara responded, her tightly controlled voice made her accent even more pronounced.

“As soon as I found out, I warned you to stop.” Diana’s voice very nearly caught. “And the next day I heard about your ‘accident’.” Diana’s hands flexed automatically. “Exposure to highly concentrated serums? It mutated you in a matter of days. You expected me to keep quiet after that?” Diana strained futilely against her bonds. “If you could do that, it would have only been a matter of time until you killed yourself.”

“But I was the one at risk.” Barbara snarled, working to maintain her control. “It was necessary to accelerate my work after you learned of it.” Barbara examined the scans, trying to focus on science to control her emotions. “I knew I could convince my employers, even my staff, that my mutation was nothing more than a tragic accident.” Barbara looked back at Diana with burning eyes. “I never thought you’d tell. I didn’t expect you to let me down.”

“You were hurting yourself.” Diana said, her throat painfully constricted.

“So I deserved to be locked up?” Barbara demanded, her voice low and dangerous. “To be experimented on? To be hurt by others?”

“No!” Diana looked horrified. “No one deserves that! Especially not you!” Barbara’s demeanor changed. Her ears pricked forward, her narrowed eyes softened, and her lethal claws retracted.

“Where exactly do you think they sent me?” She asked.

“To treatment!” Diana answered desperately. “To keep farther mutations from developing! Maybe even reversing some of the ones that already occurred!”

“And you believed them.” Barbara shook her head in disbelief, with a barely discernible laugh. “You really thought that I would just get a slap on the wrist and I’d get the help you thought I needed.” Barbara raised her eyes to the ceiling. “So naïve.”

“I thought you liked that about me.” Diana mumbled, reeling from Barbara’s revelation. 

“Oh, I still do.” Barbara reassured her as she reached out and patted Diana’s hand. She turned back to the computer. “It will make reprogramming you so much easier.”

 

This must be how surface dwellers feel around sharks. Aquaman thought as he warily surveyed the lionesses circling him. The sun had mercifully set, but brought this new set of problems. Aquaman vaguely remembered learning about lions in middle school; he could only recall one thing clearly. They hunted at night.

One of the lions jumped at him. Aquaman started to defend himself, hesitated for a fraction of a second, remembering that lions were and endangered species, and barely managed to deflect the lion’s knife sharp talons. Aquaman automatically popped the base of the trident up behind him, catching another lion attacking him from behind by the chin. Aquaman cursed to himself as he dodged the lunge of the third lioness. He had to get out of the circle. Aquaman bit back a cry as one of the lions swiped his arm painfully, but did not pause in his battle. Even an instant of weakness would give the predators and opportunity to take him down.

Aquaman jumped over a lion and turned to face the pride of lions, knowing he could not outrun them. Two of the lions broke off, flanking him on either side. He was wrong. Lions were much more dangerous than sharks. Sharks couldn’t work together.

Aquaman released a massive battle cry, swung the base of his trident and threw the lion on his left back. The lion landed on its side a dozen meters away. Aquaman spun, swinging his arm and knocking an attacking lion on the side of the head.

That was when he was caught off guard. A lion hit Aquaman before he could even raise an arm in defense. The lion pinned Aquaman to the ground. Aquaman managed to slide his trident between him and the lion; preventing the lion from tearing out his throat. Aquaman struggled to hold off the lion. The creature’s rank breath filled his lungs. The lion’s breath was hot and damp; giving Aquaman a ridiculous, desperate (juvenile) idea.

He focused, which was very hard to do with a massive powerful carnivore trying to rip your head off, and, with an exercises of will powerful enough to impress even Hal, shoved all of the water in the lion’s saliva back down its throat. The lion stopped straining against Aquaman’s trident as she found herself unable to breath. Aquaman threw the lion off him. Taking the opportunity to catch his breath, Aquaman mirrored the lion’s posture. Aquaman glanced up. The other two lions were slinking away. He spotted the lion choking a few meters away from him. Aquaman stood up, assumed a fighting stance, and released the lion. When the lion recovered, she looked up, she surveyed the area and her opponent (reminding Aquaman strongly of Wonder Woman). The lion sized up Aquaman, the look in his eyes, and his unafraid demeanor, huffed once, and turned around and walked away. Not defeated, but unwilling to expend any more effort on him.

Aquaman sagged in relief, leaning heavily on his trident. “Great,” he muttered to himself as he felt a steady drip of blood fall off his elbow into the parched grass. Aquaman tried to force the blood back into his arm, it didn’t work as well as he would have liked, which was weird. He inspected his wound more closely. Aquaman had to admit he was lucky, if his skin wasn’t Atlantean hide, he would be missing an arm, or it would at least be hanging by a thread. Aquaman reached into a compartment hidden in his belt (customized courtesy of Batman) and took out the roll of waterproof medical tape and gauze Barry made him carry. He tightly bound his arm.

This is just farther evidence that no matter how bad things are, they can always get worse. Aquaman thought bitterly to himself, as he tore the medical tape with his teeth. He’d started out stuck in a desert, without transportation, and his companion kidnapped. Now, he was wounded, trapped in the desert, with lions stalking him, Wonder Woman had spent hours with her captor (meaning either she was horribly injured or they were), and, now the adrenaline had worn off, he was starting to feel the effects of severe dehydration. Dizziness was overcoming him.

Aquaman successfully made it this far, through high grass, parched dust and a few stretches of flat rock by following the trail of oil that the jeep had left behind. His trident must have pierced a fuel line or something. Aquaman took a deep breath. He had to keep going. He was a hero. He couldn’t allow anything to happen to Wonder Woman. And under no circumstances could Aquaman let himself be the one who needed rescuing, especially not by the Amazonian princess.

 

Barbara repositioned the scanner, directing it at another portion of Diana’s brain. She had injected Diana with a diluted form of the serum, to keep Diana conscious but unable to struggle and harm herself or the equipment. Diana had futilely attempted to pull information from Barbara. She had demanded, hypothesized, and used the word ‘please’. Nothing had worked. Diana had used a few other choice words that had made Barbara raise her eyebrows (defined by her cheetah markings), in mild surprised. Then lapsed into sullen silence like a pouty little girl. Hours later, Diana was getting bored with her own silent treatment.

“I watched Lion King.” Diana said on impulse.

“Did you?” Barbara asked, pleased. “And what did you think?” Diana blinked in surprise. She hadn’t really expected the other woman to respond. Barbara continued working, reminding Diana painfully of the time they’d spent together at S.T.A.R. Labs, when Barbara would talk to her when she needed to keep still.

“It was a strange tale of honor.” Diana answered. “I found the hyenas strangely engaging, but I fail to comprehend why Simba was needed. He was not a warrior. Nala was.” 

“True, Simba was no warrior.” Barbara acknowledged, multitasking easily. “But he was a leader, and that’s what was needed for all of the creatures to overthrow Scar. The king is a symbol.” Diana frowned. Why did that sound familiar? “In reality, the lioness is the hunter.” Barbara continued. She liked to sprinkle a little science into what ever they talked about. “And hyena are, in fact, commanded by the female of the species."

Diana frowned. “Aren’t lions and hyena on the savannah?” She asked. She wasn’t sure why it was important, but she felt like it was.

“That’s why I left the kid his trident.” Barbara answered primly. Diana blinked. She’d completely forgotten about Aquaman!

“You left him in the desert?” Diana inquired flatly.

“Sure did.” Barbara said cheerfully.

“But why?!” Diana demanded.

“I didn’t need him.” Barbara shrugged. “Relax, I’m sure he’s got some transmitter like yours.” She nodded in the general direction of the box where she’d put Wonder Woman’s disabled equipment. “Your Justice League’s probably picked him up by now.”

“Oh…” Diana bit her lip, feeling foolish. “I’m… not really sure how I forgot about that.” 

“You are drugged.” Barbara said obligingly. They fell silent. Barbara hadn’t intended the comment to be awkward, but it reminded Diana of her situation. Diana had to stop thinking of Barbara as a friend, and start thinking of what she had to do to escape. Batman would be gathering information, which reminded her.

“How’d you get that transmitter?” Diana asked. “I was under the impression Catwoman had it.”

“She did.” Barbara answered. “I won it off her in a poker game, and she promptly tried to steal it. Which was odd,” Barbara added thoughtfully. “Since she’s usually quite good about following our don’t steal back winnings rule.”

“It makes more sense when you see her with Batman.” Diana murmured, rolling her eyes. “But why would you use it? You couldn’t have known I’d be the one to respond.”

“I was simply investigating.” Barbara said. “I’d intended to merely observe. The syringe was ready, just in case. But when you arrived with only Aqualad for support, I couldn’t let the opportunity slip through my fingers.”

“It’s Aquaman.” Diana muttered.

“I hardly think it matters.” Barbara commented. “He’s basically your team water-boy.” Diana grimaced. “The point is that your presence here was really a last minute thing. An unexpected piece of good fortune. So I’m not very prepared.” Barbara continued, an oddly apologetic note in her voice. “But I’m just about done with preliminary scans and analysis.”

“Then what?” Wonder Woman asked apprehensively. Barbara glanced at her.

“Then the process begins.” She replied, returning to work. “It will take several hours, and days of follow up treatment.” Barbara typed skillfully. “You should get comfortable. Relax if you can.”

“Maybe you should try to get some sleep before you attempt the procedure, which I’m guessing is probably both dangerous and largely untested.” Diana suggested weakly. “Maybe just a little catnap?” Barbara didn’t reply, becoming more and more engrossed in her work. Her hands flying over the keys like a musician mid-symphony. Diana looked at the ceiling above her and sighed. “Yeah, I didn’t think so…”

 

Aquaman gasped for water the way most would gasp for breath. He had found a dry riverbed and now he was digging. He reached a moist layer of soil. It wasn’t seawater, but it was something. Aquaman was driven by something between desperation and self-loathing. He hated himself for having such a weakness. Yes, most members of the Justice League had their vulnerabilities, but they always overcame them. Barry could force his OCD aside when his comrades needed him. J’onn had literally walked through fire to protect his people. Clark dealt with Kryptonite, and Hal with his sometimes… limited mental function. As far as he knew, only Batman and Wonder Woman were truly invulnerable.

Aquaman breathed deeply as he tunneled into the wetter and wetter ground. He wasn’t at 100% but his light-headedness was gradually leaving him. Aquaman looked up at the clear night sky. The WatchTower was up there somewhere, and now he had to accept that Wonder Woman was really trapped or worse. If she had defeated her foe, she would have come back for him. Even if she had forgotten about him, Wonder Woman would have returned to the WatchTower and the rest of the League would have asked where he was… Probably.

Hal and Batman would be on duty by now, and either they thought that he and Diana were off fighting (each other) somewhere, or had no way to locate them. Or maybe Hal was just annoying Batman so much that Batman was so annoyed that he wasn’t thinking straight. Or only thinking up ways that he could feasibly kill a Green Lantern.

Aquaman was Wonder Woman’s best chance. He could not let her down. He could not be overcome by his own weakness. He had to save her, and when he did, she’d have to admit that she’d been rescued by an Atlantean.

Aquaman stood, and looked out over the savannah. He had to be close by now. He used the trident for support as he stood up, and embarked to aid his comrade.

 

“What exactly are you trying to do?” Wonder Woman demanded, her frustration mounting. “And none of that science jargon!” Diana knew how much

Barbara liked to give her scientific explanations, then repeat herself in a way that Diana understood.

Barbara didn’t so much ignore Diana, as not hear her captive speak. She was too focused on the task at hand. Barbara only became this focused on her work when she was excited or did not want to make any mistakes. Diana had to break her concentration somehow. “You know the Justice League is coming for you.” Diana reminded her.

“Don’t you mean they’re coming for you?” Barbara asked. There was a slight bite in her voice.

“Well, yes, I suppose so.” Diana responded.

“Do you know what that makes you?”

“Their comrade.” Diana answered with certainty.

“The damsel in distress.” Barbara said, causing Diana’s mouth to drop.

“I am not!” She snapped indignantly.

“You are tied to a chair, waiting for a group of strong men to rescue you.” Barbara stated icily. “That is the very definition of a damsel in distress.”

“No it’s not!” Diana argued vehemently. “And if it is, then every member of the Justice League has been a damned-sel in distress since the team formed!” Her brow furrowed. “Except for Batman… And the Flash… Alright, so it’s mainly Aquaman or Lantern, but you get my point!” Diana was angry. “ And none of them had to deal with their friend turning on them!” Diana strained against her bonds, more out of fury than anything else. “The Justice League is not coming to save me because I need saving. They’re coming to help me because I’m one of them.” Barbara’s typing slowed.

“I noticed.” She muttered. “That’s the problem.”

“Problem?!” Diana spluttered. “They’re my allies! My brothers in arms!”

“Exactly! Brothers in arms!” Barbara spun around on her swivel chair. “You’re a member of a boys club, Diana! I never thought I’d see the day.” She released a short snort of derision. “You’ve changed Diana, and not for the better. Joining a team of male heroes, instead of forming your own? Or even going solo just to prove that you were as capable, if not more so? Your experiences in man’s world changed you, Diana. The Wonder Woman I knew would never have joined such a skewed gender team.” Diana opened her mouth in fury, then paused.

“You do what you can, where you can.” Diana responded.

“What?”

“It’s what you told me when I asked you how you could work in a field that had so many men, and so few women.” Diana said. “You told me that just being there was making a difference.” She locked eyes with the cat eyed Barbara. “Those words were a big part of what motivated me to join the Justice League. If I weren’t on it, one of the most powerful teams in the worlds would only be made up of men. ‘My very presence could open up doors for other women.’” Diana quoted Barbara back at her again. "That’s why I joined the Justice League.”

Barbara considered her friend thoughtfully. “That’s good to know.” She said, Diana felt her hopes rise. “Now I know one of the things I’ve done wrong.” Diana’s new hope was extinguished as quickly as it had been born. Barbara turned back to her work. Diana glanced away, then her eyes did a double take. On a screen to the left, just above Barbara’s head, Aquaman stumbled as he attempted to stealthily move from one clump of brush to another. He looked as if he’d been dragged there by his heels. Aquaman looked wasted and dehydrated. Diana glanced at Barbara’s back. No way Aquaman could go toe to toe with her right now. But if Barbara noticed the screen… Diana did the first thing that entered her mind.

“Can I have some water?” Barbara looked back at her.

“Diana, I’m right in the middle-” She gestured vaguely.

“And I would get it myself.” Diana said, opening her hands and gesturing as well as she could that she was tied up. “Come on, we are in a savannah desert, and that drug left me with a really dry throat.” Barbara glanced back at her work then sight.

“I suppose you’ve got a point.” She stood up and walked out of the room, through a door on Diana’s right. Diana looked up at the screen. What was that idiot doing?

 

Aquaman had followed the trail of oil and some flattened grass to his destination. Aquaman peered above the tall grass. There it was. Almost camouflaged into the landscape. Semi-buried, it seemed to be a combination of an observation outpost and an underground complex. There were two things in there he needed to get: Wonder Woman and water. Aquaman did not think much of his odds against someone who had successfully held Wonder Woman prisoner for at least half a day. Not in his current state anyway.

Aquaman slowly circled the building, trying to stay out of sight. His eyes were peeled for any kind of spigot, hose, or water tank; in addition to the best entry point. Aquaman was gradually building a strategic map in his mind. He did not like it. There were three points of egress: garage, door, and a single window on one side. The window seemed small, and Aquaman did not trust it. the Front door was too obvious. The best choice was the garage, but there had to be some kind of surveillance. After all, who would kidnap a superhero without being prepared. Aquaman could only hope that Wonder Woman was distracting the supervillain (or villains). Aquaman slipped into the garage, keeping low. He instinctively looked up to see if there was a sprinkler system in place. There wasn’t one in here, but hopefully there was one inside.

 

Wonder Woman studied the ceiling, this time with a purpose. Barbara may have been lax with some safety protocols, namely testing, but she was paranoid about anything that might destroy her work. Fire was a big one. So where were the sprinkler heads? She needed to give Aquaman the best chance possible. Admittedly Wonder Woman wasn’t sure how she would set off the sprinklers in her position; Wonder Woman wasn’t even sure if she needed fire or if impact would do the trick. But she had to do something.

She’d spotted Aquaman heading inside, using the jeep for cover. Now he was inside, the kid would be looking for water then her. Diana just hoped he did not run into Barbara while she was getting water. Diana had just spotted a sprinkler when Barbara walked back in; giving the superhero two reasons for relief.

“Took me a while to find a straw.” Barbara said by way of explanation. She held the cup out and Diana drank from the straw. She really was thirsty. It took some effort not to swallow the entire thing quickly. Wonder Woman wanted to take her time. To occupy Barbara for as long as she could while Aquaman did his reconnaissance.

Wonder Woman took a breath. Barbara pulled back the now empty cup. “Barbara, wait.” Diana said. Barbara stopped. Wonder Woman resisted the urge tot look at the screens. “What are you going to do to me?” She asked in a low voice. “Obviously it has something to do with brainwashing, but I know you’re too elegant for something that simple.”

Barbara looked at Diana, debating internally. “I am going to return you to the way you were before.” She finally answered. “Remove some of your memories and instill a bit more loyalty and faith in me.” Barbara put the empty cup on a counter. “It leaves you with a lot more than I originally planned. When you confirmed that you did not know what would happen to me when you turned me in, I… revised my plan.” Barbara smiled at Diana. “You would not have told McGee what you knew if you had known.” She began to turn back to her work. Right as Aquaman started down a long hall without any cover. Wonder Woman had to say something. Anything!

“I’d still turn you in.” The words popped out of her mouth on their own. Barbara froze.

“No you wouldn’t.” She said.

“You’re not just a danger to yourself anymore, Barb.” Diana said. “Look at me!” She opened her hands. “Youhave me tied up, about to perform brain surgery on me, and I’m your best friend! Who knows what you would do to a stranger.”

“It’s not brain surgery.” Barbara snarled. “And I wouldn’t do something like that to a stranger.”

“You. Need. Help. Barbara.” Diana said strongly. “I don’t know if it’s psychological or a physical side effect of what you exposed yourself to but I would do anything to get you help.” Diana tried to bite back her next words, but could not stop herself. “Even turn you in.” Barbara stepped back as if Diana had struck her.

“You’re lying.” She snarled, turning her back to her friend; facing the screens that were now mercifully clear of Aquaman. Barbara’s tail slashed the air back and forth in anger.

Wonder Woman didn’t have the heart to tell her. To remind Barbara that, with the lasso restraining her, Diana could no more resist the urge to tell the truth than any of the criminals she interrogated. The fact that it was indeed the truth hurt Diana as much as it would Barbara. 

 

Barbara jumped nearly six feet in the air when the sprinkler system went off. She looked up, blinking at the water. Comprehension dawned on her face.

“The water boy.” She hissed.Barbara shoved herself away from the desk. Barbara made sure her equipment was safe, throwing a tarp over it. She glanced toward Diana, still smarting from her verbal blow. Barbara flexed her fingers, unsheathing her dagger-like claws. A vindictive part of her enjoyed the nearly invisible flinch and flash of concern that passed over Diana’s face. Payback against a friend was bitter sweet.

Barbara left her friend and ventured into the hall beyond. The water poured down in a stinking deluge. The sprinkler system wasn’t exactly connected to the cleanest water supply. Barbara slinked from shadow to shadow, like the cat she had become.

Barbara did not know what the boy was playing at. The League wasn't here, or they wouldn’t be relying on the sidekick of the team. Barbara’s ears pricked forward. There.

Cheetah sprung from the shadows. Her claws outstretched. She caught the boy with her left hand. The talons dug into his shoulder. Cheetah tried to tear at his face and throat with her right hand. Even the deadly claws on her feet hooked into Aquaman as she landed on him.

Aquaman batted away her arm with the handle of the trident. He twisted, but was unable to throw her off. Aquaman turned the trident. He successfully used the leverage to pry her off him. They both recovered almost immediately.

Cheetah rebounded off a wall and went flying back at him. Aquaman was ready this time. He used the trident as a buffer between them (just as with the lioness). Aquaman rocked back on his heels, then his back. He kicked upward as he did so. Throwing the cat woman through a door, splintering it. She continued five feet into the next room. 

Now Aquaman was on the offense. He barreled towards the woman before she could recover. Aquaman brought up his trident Cheetah barely avoided it. Arching her back as she did so. Cheetah narrowly avoided strike after strike. Finally, the butt of Aquaman’s trident caught her under the chin. Cheetah hit a table hard, shattering vials and beakers. She scrambled to all fours and leapt nimbly to another table. Aquaman followed her. He broke more bottles and flasks in his pursuit.

“Stop it, you twit!” Cheetah howled as chemicals spilled from the fragmented glass. Aquaman ignored her. He continued raining blows down on Cheetah. Cheetah’s quick hand swiped a bottle. Cheetah lobbed the bottle high. When it broke it emitted a blinding flash of light. Aquaman cried out but maintained his defensive stance. Even though everything in him screamed that she throw his arm over his eyes. Cheetah slipped out. She needed to turn off the sprinkler system.

Aquaman coughed, bright spots cleared from his eyes. He squinted, and stalked out of the room. Aquaman’s trident was raised as he peered into the darkness.

Neither of them noticed the vapor rising from the pools of chemicals among the broken glass. 

 

Barbara shut down the sprinkler system and half shuddered, half shook herself to dispel the water weighing down her fur. Ugh, not pleasant. Barbara glanced around. This location had been burned. She had to grab Diana and run. Barbara considered her options for transportation as she slipped into the shadows.

Barbara moved from room to room; only visible by the glint of her cat eyes and the occasional stirring of a shadow. She spotted Aquaman, one room away from where Diana was restrained. Completely silent, Barbara curled her fingers around a fire extinguisher and struck him over the head with it. Aquaman went down, hard. The boy was more durable than she had anticipated, but he should be out for a while. Barbara cleared her throat and frowned as she looked down at him. She shook herself, started for the room Diana was in, and hesitated again. Barbara turned around, she couldn’t help herself. Barbara grabbed tools from around the room and started taking DNA samples from the unconscious Atlantean.

Between samples Barbara set her computers to download into portable drives, coughing slightly as she did so. Barbara was so engrossed in collecting data on the new specimen, that she scarcely noticed her respiratory distress. Until she stumbled and fell to her knees, very nearly overcome by dizziness. That was when she became aware of the tendrils of gas moving through the air as if with a life all its own. 

“The chemicals!” Barbara started to exclaim, but was interrupted by a fit of coughing as her body gasped for air. Barbara took a quick breath and held it as best she could. Barbara made her way through the room, which was quickly filling with toxic gas, as fast as she could. She passed the form of Aquaman, who was starting to choke as well. Barbara flung open the door, a bit more desperately than she’d meant to, and slammed it shut behind her. Barbara coughed with vigor trying to get as much of the gas out of her lungs as possible.

“What’s going on?” Diana demanded. Gas was starting o fill this room too. Good ventilation had seemed like such a good idea. Barbara never anticipated toxic fumes getting outside that lab. Barbara crossed the room and went to work on the lasso. She was coughing less, but still painfully and often. Diana looked up at her in concern. More gas filled the room every second and by the time Wonder Woman’s first wrist was

free Barbara wasn’t so much coughing as choking violently. Barbara fell to all fours, unable to breathe. Diana started on her other hand, casting her eye around and shaking her head in irritation at the lack of an oxygen tank. 

Diana was holding her breath. There hadn’t seemed much use in talking after it became obvious that Barbara was unable to respond. By the time Diana was free of the lasso Barbara had passed out. Diana didn’t even bother winding up her lasso. She just threw Barbara over one shoulder and literally barged through the door with her other one. Diana did not pause for anything until she burst through a wall into the open air. Diana flew a dozen meters away and lay her friend gently down under the savannah stars.

Wonder Woman turned around and scanned the area. She didn’t see Aquaman, which meant he was probably still inside along with her lasso. Wonder Woman took a breath she didn’t really need to take and plunged back into the bunker. 

She could barely see through the fog of toxic fumes. She went from room to room, following her own trail of destruction. Wonder Woman passed Aquaman without noticing him for a second time. It only took Wonder Woman a few seconds to wind up her lasso and secure it to her belt. Then she turned and started out to find Aquaman. Wonder Woman was surprised and embarrassed to find him in the first room she came to. She decided not to tell anyone about her failing to see Aquaman the first and second time around.

Wonder Woman exited the building, and stopped short in mid air. Dr. Barbara Ann Minerva was gone. Wonder Woman muttered a series of Greek curses under her breath as she landed and dropped Aquaman unceremoniously to the ground. Unsure how to revive Aquaman, Wonder Woman realized that she needed the transmitter that Barbara had taken away from her to find out. Wonder Woman returned to the bunker and managed to turn up the box with the transmitter and some of her other gear and a water bottle, which she filled. Wonder Woman stopped in front of Aquaman, looked at the water bottle in her hand and squirted it in his face.

Aquaman sat up, took the water bottle, removed the lid, and dumped the entire thing on his head. Aquaman looked from Wonder Woman to the house and back again. "Aw man…” Aquaman sighed, returning his gaze to the bunker.

 

Barbara tore through the savannahlike, well, a cheetah. There was wind and a smile on her face. Diana hadn’t turnedher in. her friend had taken her outside and left her there. Barbara knew Dianahad been lying, and this proved it. Barbara may have lost a lot of data onDiana, but she had the DNA samples from the water boy in her pocket and feltmore alive than the day she’d escaped Cadmus.

 

Diana stretched as she finished relaying most, some, of the day’s events to Mera. “Anyway, don’t expect Aquaman home from some time. J’onn and Flash don’t want to let him go until they’ve gotten all of the toxins out of his system.”

“Why?” Mera asked. “How harmful was the gas?” Diana straightened and she gazed at Mera in confusion. Was thatconcern in her best friend’s voice?

“Mera,” Diana began hesitantly.“Are you, you know, worried about him?”

“Arthur? I think not!” Mera hotly denied it. then glanced away as ifsomeone was speaking to her. “Diana, I’m sorry. I have duties to tend to. I hope to speak to you after you’ve gotten some rest.” She informed Diana. The waterthat made up the screen fell into the pool, ending the conversation.

And leaving Diana decidedly confused.

**Author's Note:**

> I have always thought that Cheetah needed a better backstory. I felt like the new 52 almost had it, but dropped the ball last second. So this is my version. 
> 
> Wonder Woman comes off as naive to me, but that's also partially because of my friend's head canon.


End file.
